Refrigerating apparatus



H. 18'. JOY. REFHIGERAT|NG APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 10, 1911.

Patented Feb. 1, 1921. 2.

INVENTOR.

A TTORIVEY.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY B. JOY, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR, BY.MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO THE ISKO COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

BEERIGERATING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 1, 1921.

Application filed March 10, 1917. Serial No. 154,031.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY B. J or, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Detroit, Wayne county, State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Refrigerating Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to refrigerating processes and apparatus, and particularly to such processes and apparatus as embody compression of the refrigerant as distinguished from absorption systems.

The invention is further more particularly concerned with the cooling of a refrigerant having a low boiling point by use of-air only as distinguished from water cooling which is the more common method.

The use of running water to cool the con denser as in some prior systems has many serious disadvantages such as the expense involved in both the installation and the upkeep, the cumbersomeness of the apparatus which necessarily lnvolves cons1der-' able plumbing, and the difiiculties experienced in properly controlling the feed and disposal of the water, particularly if the pressure varies in the supply mains as is nearly always the case. The latter is particularly serious, since a failure of the water supply, due to variation in pressure or to temporary shutting off, causes the machine to practically burn up or destroy itself.

T 0 some extent also air has been used to cool the condenser, but heretofore long and expensive coils, usually widely separated to get greater tooling effect, were used, and comparatively high pressures such as 130 to 150 pounds were employed in the condenser in order to get even fair results. In none of such known air cooled systems was it possible in their operation to bring the temperature of the refrigerant down to approximately the room temperature, there being usually a difference of 20 degrees-or more.

The present invention has none of the disadvantages of water cooling and makes air cooling practical, commercial and efiicient. It contemplates the use of a refrigerant having a low boiling point, such as sulfur dioxid (S0 the compression of such refrigerant into a condenser at around 70 pounds pressure, the rapid cooling of the compressed refrigerant to approximately the temperature of the air surrounding the condenser as by the means shown and hereafter described, the passing of the cooled and compressed refrigerant into a storage tank or container, and the expansion of the refrigerant to produce the cooling effect. To produce the results set forth, the condenser is of a form ,to effect intensified radiation, comprising in the form shown, nested pipes having radiating fins thereon and a means for creating a rapidly moving or intense artificial draft of air about the pipes and fins, and the storage container receives the liquefied refrigerant and permits of it being supplied to the expansion chamber as required. The condenser and storage container are together of sufficient capacity to hold under compression practically all of the refrigerant in the system, and the condensing or cooling is all done, and done quickly, in the condenser, the container acting as an intermediate temporary receiver for the refrigerant so that there is always a supply ready to be fed to the expansion chamber when the latter calls for it.

The invention embodies the process of refrigeration briefly described above and more fully hereinafter described, and it further includes an apparatus for carrying out that process, an illustrative form of such apparatus being shown in the drawings which form a part of this specification, and in which Figure 1 is a vertical section and side elevation, parts being more or less diagrammatically illustrated, of a refrigerating apparatus built in accordance with this invention; and

Fig. 2 is a front elevation with parts in section, showing the condenser and storage container.

Referring to the drawings, 10 represents a fragment of a refrigerator in which is an expansion chamber 11 of any desired construction. A compressor 12 is connected to the chamber 11 as by a pipe 13 and an electric motor 14 drives the compressor through pulleys 15 and 16 and a belt 17, or equivalent means.

A condenser 18 is designed for air cooling and is formed and arranged to produce intensified radiation. It comprisesa supporting casing 19 in which pipes 20 are nested as shown, the pipes running across from side to side of the casing and the pipes of one series being connected with those of another series. The piping is preferably continuous through the condenser being connected at its inlet end with the compressor 12 as by a pipe 21. For the purpose of increasing the exposed radiating surface of the condenser, the pipes are provided with exterior metal fins 22, shown as spirally wound on the pipes.

A fan 23 is mounted adjacent one face of the condenser and to increase its effectiveness the casing is extended somewhat as shown at 24 so that all of the air from the fan is directed over the pipes. Preferably the fan is mounted in line with the shaft of the motor 14 and connected to be driven by and at the speed of that shaft.

The. condenser 18, on account of its construction and arrangement, may be made of much smaller capacity than is required to contain all of the refrigerant of the system, and because of this and for the reason that the refrigerant requires no further cooling when it leaves the condenser, a storage container 25 is provided beneath the condenser and connected to the outlet end of the latter as by a pipe 26. The container has relatively small radiating surface and maintains the refrigerant at approximately the temperature it receives it. A pipe 27 leads to an expansion valve 28 of suitable construction which feeds the refrigerant to the expansion chamber 11 as through a pipe 29.

It will be understood that by the process of this invention and with the apparatus shown, a refrigerant of low boiling point such as sulfur dioxid (S0,) with which the system has been charged, is expanded as required through the valve 28 into the expansion chamber 11. The compressor 12 draws the expanded refrigerant from the chamber 11 and compresses it into the condenser 18 and container 25. As the refrigerant passes through the condenser it is very rapidly cooled by reason of the large radiating surface of the condenser and the intense artificial air currents created by the fan 23. Thisair cooling is so effective that the temperature of the compressed refrigerant is reduced to within one or two degrees of the temperature of the air surrounding the condenser and the refrigerant passes in a cool and liquid state into the storage container. Its temperature is maintained evenly in this container and it is fed to the expansion valve 28. The container 25 permits the use of an ample amount of refrigerant without increasing the capacity of the condenser beyond what is required for the cooling operation, and by reason of the refrigerant being delivered to the storage container at approximately the temperature of the surrounding air, it remains at that temperature and is so delivered to the expansion valve 28.

merges Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a refrigerating apparatus, in combination, an expansion 'chamber, a compressor, a condenser comprising nested pipes with relatively large radiating surface, a storage tank below-the condenser, a fan for creating intense aftificial air currents over the surface of the condenser, an electric motor, said fan being mounted in line with and driven at the speed of the motor shaft, and means for driving the compressor from the motor.

2. A refrigerating apparatus including in combination, means to compress the refrigerant, an air cooled condenser comprising a shell open at two opposite sides having conduits therein constructed with relatively large heat radiating surfaces, a fan to effect a circulation of air through said shell, and an ex ansion chamber.

3. i refrigerating apparatus includingin combination, means to compress the refrigerant, an air cooled condenser comprising a shell open at two opposite sides having conduits therein constructed with relatively large heat radiating surfaces, means to effect a circulation of air through said shell, an expansion device, an expansion chamber, and a reservoir for the refrigerant condensed in the condenser disposed between the condenser and device.

4;. A refrigerating apparatus adapted to employ a refrigerant having a boiling point when compressed in the apparatus that is above the temperature of the atmosphere, comprising in combination, means to compress the refrigerant, means to condense the compressed refrigerant comprising conduits having relatively large heat radiating sur faces, the capacity of said condensing means being relatively small, means to produce a circulation of air through said condenser, a reservoir for refrigerant condensed in said condenser means, an expansion chamber, and an expansion valve between the reservoir and chamber, said compressing means, condenser, reservoir and expansion chamber be ing connected to form a closed circuit for the refrigerant.

5. A refrigerating apparatus adapted to employ a refrigerant, the ratio of the latent heat to the specific volume of which is relatively small, comprising in combination, means to compress the refrigerant, means to condense the compressed refrigerant comprising conduits having relatively large heat radiating surfaces, the capacity of said condensing means being relatively small, means to produce a circulation of air through said condensing means, an expansion device, an expansion chamber and a reservoir for the condensed refrigerant disposed between the condenser and said device.

6. A refrigerating apparatus adapted to employ sulfur dioxid as a refrigerant, in cluding in combination, means to compress the refrigerant, means to condense the re- 5 frigerant including a radiator type of air cooled condenser, the capacity of which is relatively small, a fan for effecting a circulation of air through said radiator condenser, a motor to drive said fan and means, an expansion device, an expansion chamber and a reservoir disposed between the condenser and said device.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

HENRY B. JOY. 

